PREVIEW OF WBC 122LB TITLE BOUT OF NISHIOKA, GARCIA AND WBA 135LB TITLE BOUT OF KOBORI, MOSES

January 2, 2009

TOKYO, JAPAN

Latest Hall of Famer, Akihiko Honda, influential impresario of Teiken Promotions, presents a world title doubleheader tomorrow (Saturday) at the Pacifico Yokohama, Yokohama City, Japan.

Akihiko’s father Akira used to be a great promoter then called “Emperor of Japanese boxing,” having staged Davey Moore-Kazuo Takayama world feather title bout (twice), Carlos Ortiz-Teruo Kosaka lightweight title go, and Flash Elorde-Kosaka junior light title bout in 1960’s. As Akira passed away early, Akihiko, at the age of only seventeen, succeeded Teiken Promotions, and thus enlarged its activities so much that he has promoted some 100 world title bouts here in Japan. Akihiko, still 61, truly deserves the induction into the International Hall of Fame.

Honda has handled such world champs as the late Masao Ohba (who sadly died in a car accident at the age of twenty-three just three weeks after his fifth defense of the WBA flyweight belt by demolishing Chartchai Chionoi in 1973), Tsuyoshi Hamada, David Griman Mendez, Eloy Rojas, Genaro Chicanito Hernandez, Edwin Valero, Jorge Linares, Toshiaki Nishioka, etc. His worldwide network, political power in association with the WBC and the WBA, financial backup system by such televisions as Nippon TV, TV Tokyo and WOWOW, plus his progressive spirit account for his continual success. Honda, the most influential promoter in Asia, now pilots each two world, OPBF and national champs under his wing. If his father was emperor, Akihiko must be tycoon now.

This is not an introduction speech of Honda in the IBHOF but a preview of his world title twinbill.

WBC SUPER-BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BOUT

TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA vs. GENARO GARCIA

WBC super-bantam champ Toshiaki Nishioka (32-4-3, 19 KOs) (right photo), a hard-hitting and slick-punching southpaw veteran, will make his initial defense against Mexican warrior Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia (38-6, 22 KOs) in the main event. Nishioka finally seized the world belt by unanimously decisioning very durable Thailander Napapol Kiatisakchkchai over hard-fought twelve rounds last September, after he failed to win the WBC bantam throne from the same kingpin Veeraphol Nakhornlunga-Promotion on four occasions (though he twice drew with the then formidable Thailander).

Honda strongly and continually suggested Nishioka to hang up gloves for good, saying he had no future as top-notcher though he kept booking the fortitudinous southpaw in the 122-pound category since his last setback to Veeraphol in 2004. Nishioka never gave up his dream to become world champ, having finely scored nine victories. The southpaw also showed good technical improvement. Honda’s mind moved. He attempted his final try for the stylish boxer-puncher to test his ultimate fate, and Nishioka impressively displayed a fine opening attack and battered Napapol from all angles ? despite his last surge ? to win a unanimous nod and the WBC interim belt.

As WBC full titleholder Israel Vazquez recently renounced his belt, Nishioka was entitled to call himself the full champion. Now it’s his first defense. Genaro Garica is well-known by his reckless aggressiveness as a typical Mexican battler, though he couldn’t acquire the bantam belt from Japan’s Hozumi Hasegawa in 2006 and from Luis Alberto Perez last year. He moved up to the super-bantam category, defeating Miguel Roman over twelve heats.

When Garcia had a long-anticipated shot at Hasegawa here, he suffered a couple of visits to the deck but fought back so furiously that a judge Hubert Minn tallied 110-114 (only a four-point difference!) against the Mexican. No matter how much he absorbed punishment from the counter-punching Japanese lefty Hasegawa, Garcia kept stalking him and throwing solid, roundhouse and continual punches to win the praise of the Japanese spectators despite his losing effort. His undaunted performance paid off, as Honda, who definitely hates mismatches, thus again booked Garcia as a crowd-pleaser.

Nishioka, a year his senior at 32, may be a prohibitive favorite thanks to his very sharp counter-punching, solid southpaw left hand and versatile footwork. But Garcia has heart. He is apparently motivated to win the world belt (mostly probably in his final chance) as much as Nishioka in his fifth attempt to gain the throne. Should Garcia make a good start, he will be a formidable opponent who may exchange hot rallies toe-to-toe with the lanky southpaw titlist. On the contrary, should Nishioka’s vaunted left shot explode early, he may brilliantly display a quick demolition of the game and durable Mexican.

Today Nishioka, a handsome champ, tipped the beam at 121.5 pound, while Garcia, with a “macho” appearance, scaled in at the 122-pound class limit though still wearing tee-shirts. Both looked fine and well-prepared.

The WBC officials are as follows:

Referee Bruce McTavish (Philippines); judges Maximo de Luca (US), Gene del Bianco (US) and Thanawuth Pluemsamran (Thailand); supervior Edward Thangarajah (Thailand).

WBA LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE BOUT

YUSUKE KOBORI vs. PAULUS MOSES

Fearless warrior Yusuke Kobori (23-2-1, 12 KOs) (right), will risk his newly acquired WBA lightweight belt against perennial top contender Paulus Moses (23-0, 17 KOs) (left), from Namibia, over a highly-expected twelve rounder.

Kobori, then Japanese national 130-pound champ who registered six defenses, abruptly climbed up to the top in the 135-pound category, when he very impressively scored an upset come-from-behind TKO victory over Nicaraguan Jose Alfaro in three furious sessions last May. The modest-spoken champ, 27, loves swapping punches and displays a do-or-die mix-up.

The Japanese fighter obviously became strong through his experience in being employed as sparring partner for Marco Antonio Barrera in Mexico and Jorge Linares or Edwin Valero here in Japan. Though he looks awkward and less skillful, he always comes out fighting toe-to-toe with any hard-punching opposition. His willpower is superb. There might be no word of fear or hesitation in his dictionary.

Paulus Moses, a tall and hard-punching prospect, wishes to be the second world champ from Namibia following Harry Simon, ex-WBO 154-pound and 160-pound ruler. Having been cultivated by Nestor Tobias, a well-reputed manager/trainer, Moses has remained unbeaten in 45 amateur games and 23 professional bouts. His business has been handled by busy-moving polyglot Philippe Fondu.

Moses, 30, previously acquired the WBA intercontinental lightweight belt by outscoring Mihaita Mutu in Namibia to be newly ranked #11 by the WBA in 2006. He kept the regional throne by stopping another prospect Beka Sajaia in eight hot rounds there in 2007. The hard-punching Namibian, called “The Hitman” in his native country, kept the WBA regional belt twice, halting world-rated Andrei Kudriavtsev in nine rounds in the challenger’s home turf Ukraine.

The Namibian was supposed to have a mandatory shot at the then newly crowned Jose Alfaro, but agreed to step aside to pave the way for Kobori to make an ambitious crack at the Nicaraguan. Then, most probably, no one had expected Kobori to dethrone Alfaro, but amazingly did he do it. On the same show of the Kobori-Alfaro title go, Moses appeared here in Tokyo and Yauhen Krulik in two quick rounds. We couldn’t see how strong Moses was, as it was over too early. But we admitted his power-punching in the middle range.

Moses has a physical advantage of height (by an inch) and reach (by five inches). But boxing isn’t a physical examination. A shorter man sometimes defeats a taller opponent with an advantageous reach. Kobori loves stalking his rival, if he keeps running away. Kobori also likes to mix up at any range. Dangerous as Moses is, Kobori may be also dangerous to Moses.

Funny enough, each predicted a quick finish. When Kobori heard Moses say “I’ll knock him out in the first round, should a chance come to me,” the WBA champ responded to his verbal challenge, saying, “I’ll destroy him in half a round. Yes, I can.” Should it be over in the initial round, TV Tokyo will have a tough time offsetting the scheduled time by another bout. Or, will our TV watchers have to see a same knockout scene time and again?

Moses’ real power and tremendous physical ability cannot be denied, and our prediction on the outcome will be fifty-fifty even if we admit Kobori’s local advantage of being encouraged by huge supporters. Moses is such a dangerous challenger.

Both were rather lighter than the 135-pound limit, as Kobori weighed in at 134.5 to 133.5 for Moses. Both looked highly motivated to win this game.

The WBA officials are as follows:

Referee Rafael Ramos (US); judges Derek Milham (Australia), Roberto Ramirez (Puerto Rico) and Pinit Prayadsab (Thailand); and supervisor Jose Oliver Gomez (Panama).

Yes, four of the five officials are same as those who participated in the previous WBA flyweight title bout between Sakata and Denkaosen on the last day of the last year. They moved from Hiroshima to Tokyo on the New Year Day. No one like to work here in Japan on January 1 through 3 (our traditional holidays) even in this country of workaholics, but the Hall of Famer Akihiko Honda thus presents an interesting dual title show to entertain our aficionados.

(1-2-09)

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